[News Boquete] Newsletter March 2019 Amigos de Animales Boquete

News, Stories and Events

From our Founder, Ruby McKenzie   Nearly 14 years ago, the first spay/neuter clinic was held in Boquete, Panama. We sterilized 21 dogs and cats. From there, a group of us came to understand that the answer to animal over population and having malnourished, injured dogs and cats in the streets was sterilization! Our quest began! Thankfully, after sterilizing over 15,000 animals in the Boquete area, that idea has been fully embraced by the local Panamanians and by wonderful people with big hearts who join us in helping to make a difference in the lives of the animals surrounding us. The low price we now charge, $15 per dog and $8 per cat, goes to pay our wonderful veterinarians and does not come close to paying for the anesthesia, medical supplies, and non-medical supplies used in the clinics. We invite you to join with us in this wonderful endeavor to alleviate the distress in the lives of our local animals as well as their owners. Please open your hearts and donate to this worthy cause. We have a great fundraiser right now with the opportunity to win wonderful prizes. We have the Happy Paws program where you can help us help folks like Sr. Rafael sterilize his animals and Carmencita with all the animals she brings to our clinics and to keep us going! See their stories below. We have established a non-profit 501(c )3 in the United States which allows you to donate to Animales for a possible tax write-off. It is called, Amigos De Animales, Inc. headquartered in Fort Myers, Fl. We are on the smile.amazon.com program where your everyday purchases can help support us if purchased through the SMILE program. Of course we continually have fundraisers like our annual calendar (sign up now to have your furry friend appear on the pages of the 2020 calendar), the upcoming Casino Night, as well as this latest fundraiser. Donate $100 and have a chance to win 3 different wonderful prizes! Thanks in advance for your new and continued support! Ruby McKenzie, Founder, Fundacion Amigos de Animales, Boquete. Contact me personally if you have questions or suggestions at rubym.animales@gmail.com. See what we have been up to: On Sunday February 17, Amigos de Animales spayed or neutered 145 animals, 77 dogs and 68 cats. We had five of our best vets working and the best volunteers in the world. This was a smooth running clinic, started by 8:30 and done by 3:30. We had more dogs than cats again, breaking with the trend of the past two years of having many more cats than dogs. And about those volunteers…someone asked me when I was working at the Jazz Fest, the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival, how many volunteers we had working at any given clinic (upwards of 50) and why did I think we had so many who were willing to work for us. Good interesting question. I think the answer in part is that working at our clinics, you feel a real community involvement, a spirit that we are all in this together working for a common goal. And I see our volunteers all over town working or enjoying all that Boquete has to offer. We are a group that likes to get things done and enjoys doing it! Sheila, one of our VPs, was the volunteer coordinator among other jobs for the Jazz Festival. Leslie and Sherry not only work for Animales, but they also worked at the Jazz Fest and volunteer for Buenos Vecinos as well. To say nothing of the school Sherry teaches English at and has restored. What an amazing group! I would say to any newcomers, get involved, make a difference! Boquete is a place where what you do counts. Thank you to everyone who brings food to the kitchen at our clinics. It is enjoyed and appreciated by all. The next clinic will be Sunday March 31. To volunteer, contact Alicia at akcleavenger@hotmail.com for a reservation, contact Magaly at boqueteanimales@gmail.com or phone, whatsapp, or text 6563-8686. Thank you! Keep reading to learn more about who we are: Carmencita Carmencita MacIntyre has been one of our collectors since our second clinic in 2006.  She has brought hundreds and maybe even thousands of animals to us over the past years.  Carmencita does not have a lot of money, but she does have a lot of heart.  She goes out in to the fincas and remote towns and brings in dogs and cats to the clinic; she understands the good that it does for the animals and thanks to her, hundreds of cats or dogs have been helped through her efforts. We never know what to expect from Carmencita, whether she will be bringing in two or twenty-two animals but she always has a smile on her face. Read this story below that exemplifies her devotion to the local animals: Eleven PM on a Sunday night after the clinic, who else would show up on Gijs and Hanny's door but Carmencita. Somehow this beautiful but very protective mother dog and her 5 puppies ended up in her car. The puppies still had their eyes closed and mom is very sweet but also very protective. She was used as a puppy mill but that horrible life is now behind her. This is a great example why we should help Amigos de Animales. In this instance, we know that we will have to sterilize the mom and her babies when they are ready and that Carmencita will not be able to pay for it. Amigos de Animales needs your help to keep those wonderful rescuers like Carmencita doing their great and important job. Meet Sr Rafael He lives on a fixed income yet he has been caring for over 18 cats on his property. Though he knew the benefits of spaying or neutering his cats, he also knew that he could not afford the cost nor did he have the ability to transport them to a clinic. Martha Miranda and Kirsten Quimby met with him and presented him with a solution, a sort of joint community effort. They would trap the cats in humane cat traps, bring them to our clinic to be spayed or neutered, and he would pay what he could; in this case he gave us 50 cents per cat. At our January clinic, they were able to trap 9 cats. More were brought in for the February clinic. Fifty cents for a cat to be sterilized does not begin to cover our costs for vet services and the medicines needed to care for these animals. That is where the Happy Paws Club comes in! You can help support our mission and alleviate the suffering of the animals in our community by becoming a member of the Happy Paws Club. With a small monthly contribution you can make a big difference. We have made it easy for you. Become a member at any level you choose and help us help the animals of our community like those of Sr Rafael.   Happy Paws Club Bronze Member For $10 a month, you can pay for one cat to be spayed or neutered.   Happy Paws Club Silver Member For $30 a month, you can spay or neuter 2 dogs or three cats.   Happy Paws Club Gold Member For $50 a month, you can pay for 2 dogs and 2 cats to be sterilized at our clinics.   Thank you for your support! Together we can make a difference. Upcoming Events   Casino Night Boquete Has Heart is a joint effort by Amigos de Animales and Buenos Vecinos to benefit those in need throughout the greater Boquete community. This year's event will focus on a fun Casino Night, great food, a cash bar, along with some terrific items featured in a silent auction. There will be blackjack tables, roulette wheel, food, a cash bar and silent auction.   Tickets are $15 and will be sold at the Tuesday Market and MBE. Tickets will be $20 at the door. Save the date March 16, 2019   Our Fabulous Fundraiser   Win a trip for two to Beautiful Boquete, Panama, the Valley of Flowers and Rainbows and be hosted by the people of Fundación Amigos de Animales, Boquete. Our mission is to provide low cost spaying and neutering of dogs and cats and to promote the general welfare of animals in our community and surrounding areas. We have sterilized over 15,000 dogs and cats during our 13 years of existence in Boquete. Copyright © 2019 Amigos de Animales, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Amigos de Animales chiriqui Boquete Panama

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